Insurance

Insurance issues can escalate from simple to complex quickly, and you need attorneys able to handle it all. With Wallace Saunders, you can rest assured the attorneys in our Insurance Practice Group have a command of insurance law and litigation. In fact, the firm was founded more than 50 years ago with insurance at the core of our practice.

Our attorneys are adept at handling issues of insurance coverage, claims handling, and litigation under a wide variety of standard form and manuscript policies, including:

Although fresh from law school, Linda already has an impressive resume—Law Review, Diversity Writing Scholar, and Legal Aid Intern. But that’s not the half of it. Linda, a proud Texas Longhorn, began her career as a claim professional for one of the country’s largest property-casualty insurers, managing risk, preventing loss, and helping customers. Linda went on to work as an analyst, researching tax implications for complex real estate transactions for a Fortune 500 company. We’re proud that Linda has joined our team of talented lawyers, and know she’s well-equipped to “Partner with You.”

Mike Brown is a rare breed of attorney. He is the firm’s main contact with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Services, which keeps him busy when he attends national conferences. Mike provides continuing education services to the firm’s architecture and engineering clients. He’s involved in the local AIA Kansas City chapter.

Nathan Dulle has experience practicing for a diverse clientele. He has been recognized multiple times as a Rising Star Attorney by his peers. Nathan has wasted no time building a reputation as an attorney who understands and achieves his clients’ goals.

Mr. Finnerty is Chair of the firm’s Product Liability practice group, having deep experience in complex commercial litigation. He has written extensively on the topic and litigated numerous high profile cases.

Kelvin Fisher joined Wallace Saunders in 2016. He is an experienced litigator who has represented clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies and from banks and credit unions to global insurers. Kelvin has tried numerous cases to verdict in both jury trials and bench trials.

Schalie Johnson embodies the definition of hard work. She keeps busy as a Partner at Wallace Saunders – but she does not stop there. She is also a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, the Johnson County Bar Association and the Kansas Bar Association. Pushing her knowledge and the field forward is one of her biggest goals. It makes her a better attorney and positively influences our entire firm.

Bryan has a passion for helping people. Whether he’s defending a client or preparing a document, he puts you first. Bryan is a full service litigator, assisting clients in civil litigation, workers’ compensation, and employment matters. Prior to becoming an attorney, Bryan made a career of putting people first in both the telecom and insurance industries. He has the right mix of people and legal skills to “Partner with You.”

Leo Logan joins the firm with over 38 years of experience in civil litigation. Leo has represented many insurers and their policyholders in his career, but he also represents victims of personal, commercial and professional negligence. Ever keeping current, Leo regularly shares his legal knowledge at professional seminars, and is often asked by other lawyers to provide expert opinion evidence in insurance related matters. Leo is AV rated and consistently earns the “Super Lawyer” designation for business litigation.

Consider yourself lucky if you have Nick Nagrich on your side. He is the Managing Partner of the Wallace Saunders Springfield, Missouri office. A pillar of the firm since 1998, Nick is also a partner. He works hard yet makes it look easy, thanks to a legal career spanning three decades.

Jeff Nichols is a partner at Wallace Saunders, having been with the firm since finishing law school in 1999. He leverages his deep experience and knowledge every day to deliver the kind of litigation results you deserve. With a knack for solving issues quickly, he seeks early resolution when appropriate and takes matters to trial for vigorous representation when required. He works with numerous clients, both corporate and insurance-based, throughout all phases of the litigation process, from pre-suit investigations and scene inspections to all appellate processes.

Kathryn O'Shea was a seasoned litigator well before she joined Wallace Saunders in 2015, having already handled many cases, ranging from auto negligence actions to employment disputes and from consumer fraud claims to bad faith litigation.

Russ is a seasoned trial lawyer, having tried over 90 cases to a jury verdict. He’s also represented large and small insurance companies, both as in-house and outside counsel.

His 25 years of broad experience, representing plaintiffs and defendants, brings a balanced perspective to every case Russ handles. He takes pride in conducting a detailed initial case review, helping clients to set course toward resolution of their legal matter early on. Russ’s philosophy is that the best outcomes, at mediation or trial, come from continuous collaboration between the client, support staff, and counsel.

Besides handling matters for clients, Russ has served as a mediator in many cases. He is a graduate of accredited mediation training courses in both Missouri and Kansas.

John Ross is a partner of Wallace Saunders. He is Chairman of the Professional Liability Practice Group and Co-Chairman of the Transportation and Trucking Practice Group. His practice concentrates in the area of general civil litigation, trucking litigation, business litigation, and professional liability.

Growing up working at her family’s manufacturing business, Ellen developed a passion for solving complex problems and resolving disputes. After receiving her degree in business economics and finance, she went on to law school to pursue her dream of becoming a litigator. As Managing Editor of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, Ellen developed her leadership skills and lead a team of 40+ people to success. Ellen’s enthusiasm for protecting clients’ business and personal interests fuels her work ethic. She prides herself on being someone you always want on your team. Ellen is ready to “Partner with You.”

Jim Sanders is a leader and example for other attorneys at Wallace Saunders. As a senior partner, he is one of our most seasoned attorneys, bringing the kind of leadership and experience that are crucial to our organization. Jim’s practice focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis on cases involving excess/bad-faith insurance litigation, fraud and arson.

Few attorneys can match the range and scope of experience held by Eric Van Beber. For more than a decade, he has been a partner at Wallace Saunders. A natural leader, Eric helps make key decisions as the firm’s Co-Chair of the Construction Law Practice Group.

After attending college in North Carolina and law school in Mississippi, Trey decided to return to the place where he grew up and feels most at home—Kansas City. Trey believes his time in different parts of the country have broadened his perspective on problem-solving and given him unique insights which can be applied to virtually any legal scenario.

The Banking and Financial Services group believes the simple edict that “time is money and money is time.” This concept drives our responsive, practical counsel in all matters of financing. We are dedicated to resolving our clients’ disputes in a no-nonsense manner.

Business litigation requires a unique blend of business-specific knowledge and litigation experience. Wallace Saunders has both the knowledge and the experience to protect and move your business forward. Our Business Litigation attorneys handle litigation matters across a broad spectrum of professions and industries.

The world of construction is comprehensive, collaborative and highly detailed. The same can be said of our approach to construction law. Legal regulations, city and state codes, federal guidelines, environmental issues – there’s a litany of laws and parameters that seems never-ending.

The Wallace Saunders Corporate Practice group focuses on three primary areas: entity formation, operations guidance and assisting in the sale of your business.

Accurate entity formation can have a major impact on your liability exposure as well as substantial tax consequences. It’s important to have appropriate control features in the establishing documents for your entity to ensure your ability to run your company in the manner you see fit.

Everyone knows someone who has encountered law enforcement. Criminal charges and investigations often bring anxiety and uncertainty to the accused and his or her family. For this reason, it is essential to promptly find an experienced partner who can guide you through the legal process. The attorneys of Wallace Saunders’ Criminal Litigation Group are here to help. We provide our clients with the clarity needed to understand the criminal law processes and protect our clients by finding the best solutions based on their needs.

Architects, engineers, construction managers, licensed site professionals and their firms have long relied on the Design Professionals Group at Wallace Saunders for comprehensive legal services. Our experienced team can handle any legal need that may arise, including regulatory and professional liability claims, advice concerning professional liability insurance, and representation in fee and contractual disputes with clients. Our highly experienced trial lawyers have represented clients in jury and nonjury cases, in both state and federal courts across the country.

The ever-changing landscape of human resources law is dizzying. It can be difficult for any HR team or business owner to keep pace. Whether your HR department is small, large or transitioning, the Employment Practice Group at Wallace Saunders works in tight cooperation with you. We take pride in partnership, collaborating closely to provide legal representation and counsel in a capacity that best serves your needs.

Quick advisers and zealous defenders for healthcare-based institutions and individuals, the Healthcare Group at Wallace Saunders offers something few healthcare groups can – all of our lawyers have been with the group for an average of 20 years. So you know you’re getting experienced healthcare counsel with long-standing client relationships.

Insurance issues can escalate from simple to complex quickly, and you need attorneys able to handle it all. With Wallace Saunders, you can rest assured the attorneys in our Insurance Practice Group have a command of insurance law and litigation. In fact, the firm was founded more than 50 years ago with insurance at the core of our practice.

Founded as a litigation firm in 1963, our attorneys carry on our tradition of substantial deposition and courtroom experience, with hands-on training that begins early in every attorney’s career. The litigation department is the largest practice area at Wallace Saunders, with more than half of our attorneys working under the Litigation Practice Area umbrella.

Understanding the nuances of Product Liability law and the significant exposure for clients involved in product litigation is a service not every firm can offer. Our experience representing manufacturers, distributors and retailers gives you the advantage of leveraging strategic planning with trial skills in this complex and dynamic area of law.

Most professionals regularly handle situations where they cannot guarantee specific results for their clients or patients. This makes them vulnerable to professional liability lawsuits. Choosing the right attorney to defend such lawsuits is critical. Additionally, the best defense against professional liability claims begins before a claim ever gets filed.

Companies, municipalities, real estate developers and individuals have all called on Wallace Saunders for assistance with various types of commercial, residential, multifamily and land development projects.

When it comes to trucking and transportation, our attorneys are with you from the start, emphasizing early response to losses. Our trucking and transportation attorneys are on call 24/7 to respond to serious accidents and emergencies by visiting accident scenes to gather and preserve evidence. This helps lay the groundwork for a careful investigation and vigorous claim defense. We have an established emergency response protocol, and will work with a team of accident reconstructionists, field investigators, and criminal defense attorneys, when needed, to immediately respond to trucking and other transportation accidents and emergencies.

Preservation and protection. The premises are simple. Navigating them can be complex. At Wallace Saunders, we focus on details, turning every stone to preserve your hard-earned wealth. We protect you, your family and your business. To us, it’s more than a job – it’s a duty we take to heart.

Backed by 50 years of successfully defending the largest insurance companies in the country, the Workers’ Compensation Group at Wallace Saunders prides itself on personal service – when you hire a partner in the group, you get that partner. And you get a no-nonsense approach to defending employers in the area of workers’ compensation.

On Friday, June 8, 2018, the Kansas Supreme Court decided Atkins v. Webcon and signaled an important change for determining whether accidents that occur while workers are out of town for employment-related purposes are compensable.

The relevant facts of the case are that the claimant and others were required to travel and stay in Enid, Oklahoma on a construction project. They took a company vehicle and their accommodations were provided by the employer. The hotel in which claimant and other co-workers were staying, though, was without a hotel bar. Claimant ventured across the street and went to a hotel that did have a hotel bar. He stayed until past two in the morning before attempting to cross the street to his hotel. Unfortunately, he was struck by a car driven by an intoxicated driver and sustained severe injuries.

Kansas Court of Appeals Rules the 6th Edition of The AMA Guides is Unconstitutional as to Francisco Pardo

On Friday, June 1, 2018, the Kansas Court of Appeals published its decision in Francisco Pardo v. UPS. This case had been the subject of great scrutiny, as the issues raised challenged the very constitutionality of the Kansas Workers Compensation Act.

Mr. Pardo suffered a rotator cuff injury in 2013 in a work-related accident. In March 2015, he injured the same shoulder in a separate work-related accident. The second injury was not related to the first injury and involved a different part of the rotator cuff than was previously injured.